Frontier Services has announced that it is the official Charity Partner for the Sydney to London Classic Marathon Rally. Around 40 cars will travel the first two legs of the event from Sydney to Perth.
Competitors from all over the world compete in this long distance event. There will be a show of the seminal classic rally cars of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Ford Escorts, Datsun 240Zs, Ford Mustangs, Porsche 911s and more will tackle 16,000 kilometres of roads in 8 countries over 30 days.
Juniper, an agency of the Uniting Church in WA and one of WA’s largest providers of retirement, residential and home aged care services has recently opened Perth’s newest integrated retirement living, community care and professional training facility.
Juniper was looking to the future of retirement living and created an adaptable apartment design for all 16 units at Ron Wilson House to enable residents to remain in their home as they age and their requirements change. Juniper will also deliver state-of-the-art education and training facilities in partnership with Curtin University through the Juniper Simulation Centre located at Ron Wilson House.
The facility’s name pays tribute to Sir Ronald Darling Wilson, a former high court judge, human rights campaigner and a Uniting Church leader.
I was recently sitting in a trendy cafe, reading my review copy of Making Sense of Sex. It was a somewhat embarrassing moment, sat in public view reading a book about sex and early Jewish and Christian literature. I was convinced that those around me were thinking ‘what a lunatic’ as everyone knows the Christian position on sex; that is: somewhere between vehemently and slightly opposed. For many of us within the Christian tradition, this opposition sits in direct contrast to our understanding and experience of the God of life.
There is very little reliable information about how the early Jewish and Christian communities understood sexuality. The debates that have raged in our churches have been ideologically driven; using scripture to prove our point, whichever side of the debate we are on. William embarked on a five-year research project with the aim of listening to the early Jewish and Christian communities understanding of sexuality.
Spearwood Uniting Church is inviting people of all ages to join in the fun on Palm Sunday at their all age service. An outdoor service will be held on the church grounds, followed by free pony rides for the kids and a barbeque brunch and morning tea.
Playing on an old tradition of riding a donkey into church on Palm Sunday as a retelling of the story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem, the pony rides will add a fun flair to the day.
Churches, organisations and individuals will be calling for humane policies for asylum seekers and refugees in Australia this Palm Sunday 13 April. Palm Sunday has been known as a day when churches march for peace as it is the day Jesus is recognised as the King of Peace. A Walk for Justice for Refugees will take place on the streets of Perth, organised by the Justice4Refugees WA network. They are calling for compassion, not punishment; an end to offshore processing and an end to mandatory detention.
Kids’ Camp Out (KCO) was all about celebrating the harvest this year, with children from all over WA coming together to spend time with their congregations and get to know people from others. In a relaxed atmosphere, campers, junior leaders and leaders enjoyed a weekend of craft, games, Godly Play storytelling, worship and singing. The Feast, held on the Saturday night with an extended welcome to people of all ages, was a vibrant celebration made all the more fun by the Byford Footprints Band who entertained dancing guests into the evening.
In April, I conclude seven years as National Director of UnitingWorld to take up congregational ministry. As I look towards that role, one of my first thoughts concerns how I will enable the congregation to engage globally.
How will I support children and adults who have been baptised to meet, at least in their imagination, their brothers and sisters in faith across the globe? How I will I help those coming for confirmation to have a deep sense of being bound to people beyond their locality? How will I help nourish disciples to act with the people suffering injustice not reported in popular media? How will I guide the congregation in experiencing God beyond the constraints of Western culture?
The invitation to travel to Canberra to attend a vigil on the lawns of Parliament House on 18 March 2014 was extended to Uniting Church people throughout Australia. I was on long service leave pending retirement at the time, so I was free to travel to this national event. My husband Robin and I travelled to Canberra as representatives of the WA Synod.
The vigil was part of ‘A Destiny Together: A Week of Prayer and Fasting for Justice for First Peoples. It was planned by the Uniting Church Assembly in response to the stories of suffering from Indigenous people affected by the government Intervention in the Northern Territory and the subsequent Stronger Futures legislation.